Package



July 23, 1935. T. s. DOWST PACKAGE Filed May 15, 1935 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented July 23, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PACKAGE Application May 15, 1935, Serial No. 21,511

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a structurally and functionally improved package or container.

While the features of the present invention may be advantageously employed in numerous different associations, a primary object resides in providing a package for articles, and which package will be substantially tamperproof, even although the package be opened and it and its contents placed on display.

A further object of the invention is that of furnishing a package which will enclose and mount articles so that they may be very effectively displayed, aside from the fact that the package in its normal or assembled conditions will retain the articles housed therein in such manner that such articles will remain in proper relative positions with respect to each other, and will not become damaged in shipment.

A still further object of the invention is that of furnishing a package, the component parts of which may readily be manufactured by automatic or semi-automatic machinery, and these parts being susceptible to ready assemblage and in such manner that relatively unskilled persons may package articles in a proper manner.

With these and other objects in mind, reference is had to the attached sheet of drawing illustrating one practical embodiment of the invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the package with certain of the upper parts thereof broken away to disclose the underlying construction;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the lines 2-2 and in the direction of the arrows as indicated in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar'to Fig. 2, but showing a slightly different form of construction.

In these views the numeral 5 indicates the body of a receptacle and which, as shown, may be rectangular and include the usual base portion from which flanges extend upwardly. Disposed adjacent the base of this body is a deck 6 which is maintained in spaced relationship to the base, preferably by having downwardly extending spacing flanges 1 at its edges and which flanges contact the upper face of the base. The deck 6 is formed with openings 8 to receive the projecting parts of articles housed within the receptacle and to thus anchor these articles against movement towards the base or in directions parallel to the planes of such base.

Overlying the deck 6 is a partition member 9, which may have upwardly extending flange portions HI extending to a point adjacent the upper edges which form a part of the body 5. The partition member at points in line with the openings of the deck is formed with relatively large openings II which, as illustrated, may have an outline of sufficient area to include within their edges all of one group of openings 8. In this connection it will be understood while, as shown, five groups of openings are provided in the deck 6, and the partition member is formed with a corresponding number of openings, that a greater or lesser number of groups might be furnished. Each of the openings ll preferably has tongue portions or inwardly extending projections l2 which are formed integrally with the partition, these projections overlying portions of the articles which are packaged, and thus preventing such articles being moved either accidentally or deliberately away from the base of the body 5.

The articles which are packaged 'may include, for example, miniature bodies of vehicles as indicated at l3. Where such articles are employed it is apparent that the wheels ll thereof extend one through each of the openings 8, while the running-board or other projecting portions l5 of the vehicle underlie the projections or tongues I2. Thus, the wheels prevent sidewise or longitudinal movement on the part of each article with respect to the package, while downward movement, or movement towards the base of the body 5, is prevented, due to the running gear portions of the articles bearing against the deck 6 at points between the individual openings of each group. Additionally, movement of the articles away from the base of the body is prevented, due to the partition member 9.

With a package of this nature, it will be understood that the merchandise may readily be packed and shipped, and after such shipment the lid may be removed, whereupon the articles are displayed to view. However, the articles are still retained in position, and a child, for example, cannot remove them by simply lifting them upwardly from the deck. To effect such removal, it is necessary to lift the entire partition member clear of the articles so that the projecting portions or tongues I! do not prevent withdrawal of the article. It will be understood that all portions of the package may be manufactured of cardboard or any other suitable material.

In the form of construction shown in Fig. 2, it will be observed that the wheels l4 or corresponding portions of the articles rest substantially in contact with the upper face of the base of the receptacle body 5. In connection with articles of certain types, this construction may prove to be desirable. Likewise, the flange I0 is relatively shallow while the lid indicated in dashand-dot lines at 16 extends along the outer faces of the receptacle side walls for only a relatively short distance. Obviously, as shown in Fig. 3, this lid might include side walls of a length substantially equal to the side walls of the receptacle body, so as to provide a firm inter-braced structure. Likewise, the upstanding flange portion III of the partition member 9 might be of a length such that the edges bear against the inner face of the lid to thus additionally brace the parts and assure against their displacement. Quite aside from this, however, the flanges I of the deck member 6 might be of a length such that the projecting portions or wheels I of the article l3 would be spaced from the upper face of the base of the receptacle. In this manner and with the top of the article in a position spaced from the lid, it is apparent that the article is, in effect, yieldingly suspended and cushioned within the receptacle or package in such a manher that no damage to the parts can result.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that, among others, the several objects of the invention, as specifically afore noted, are achieved. Obviously, numerous changes in construction and rearrangement of the parts might be resorted to (particularly if articles of types other than those illustrated are packaged) without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A package for an article having outwardly extending and downwardly extending parts, such package including a box to receive the article, a deck within the box and spaced from the base of the latter, such deck having a plurality of openings to accommodate the downwardly extending parts of the article and having its upper face contactable with the lower surface of the article to support the same, a partition member normally immovable with respect to said box and having an opening of an area such that the major portion of the article to be displayed may extend therethrough and above the partition member and portions integral with such partition member projecting in the plane of the latter into the opening thereof, such portions overlying the outwardly extending parts of the article to prevent upward movement of the latter. 2. A package for an article having outwardly extending and downwardly extending parts, such package including a box to receive the article, a deck within the box and spaced from the base of the latter, such deck having a plurality of openings to accommodate the downwardly extending parts of the article, a partition member normally immovable with-respect to said box and having an opening of an area such that the major portion of the article to be displayed may extend therethrough and above the partition member and portions integral with such partition member and projecting in the plane of the latter into the opening thereof, such portions overlying the outwardly extending parts of the article to prevent upward movement of the latter, the openings of such deck all lying within the area of the partition opening.

3. A display package for toys and similar articles having end portions connected by outwardly projecting parts located intermediate the upper and lower surfaces of the article, said pack age including a box to receive such article, a partition member normally immovable with respect to such box and formed with an opening having an area such that the major portion of the article body extends therethrough to be in display position above the partition member and a plurality of opposed tongues extending throughout only a relatively small portion of such opening, said tongues being integral with such member and in operative position extending in the plane of the same into the opening thereof to overlie the outwardly projecting parts of the packaged article, removal of such article being dependent upon the elimination of the partition member. I

4. A display package for toys and similar articles having downwardly projecting parts and end portions connected by outwardly projecting parts located intermediate the upper and lower surfaces of the article, said package including a box to receive such article, a partition member normally immovable with respect to such box and formed with an opening having an area such that the major portion of the article body extends therethrough to be in display position above the-partition member and a plurality of opposed tongues extending inwardly throughout only a relatively small portion of such opening, said tongues being integral with such member and in operative position extending in the plane of the same to overlie the outwardly projecting parts of the packaged article, removal of such article being dependent upon the elimination of the partition member, and a deck member within such box and below the partition member, such deck member being formed with openings'to receive such downwardly projeeting parts of the article.

5. A display package for toys and similar articles having downwardly projecting parts and end portions connected by outwardly projecting parts located intermediate the upper and lower surfaces of the article, said package including a box to receive such article, a partition member normally immovable with respect to such box and formed with an opening having an area such that the major portion of the article body extends therethrough to be in display position above the partition member and a plurality of opposed tongues extending inwardly throughout only a relatively small portion of such opening, said tongues being integral with such member and in operative position extending in the plane of the same to overlie the outwardly projecting parts of the packaged article, removal of such article being dependent upon the elimination of the partition member and means within said box and below said partition member to contact the downwardly extending parts of such article to support the same.

THEODORE S. DOWST. 

